


Why Pigs?

by SummerLeighWind



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Hogwarts, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-13
Updated: 2015-10-13
Packaged: 2018-04-26 04:21:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4990054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerLeighWind/pseuds/SummerLeighWind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the early days of the 1991 school year, Circe has a chat with Hermione about why her password is what it is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Why Pigs?

Circe was hardly paying those passing her portrait by any attention as she watched a young man and woman sneak into a nearby classroom. Part of her wanted to go inform one of Hogwarts's professors, after all, there were  _young_ children scampering around and getting lost all around today.

As was usually the case with the first couple days of school.

Sighing, Circe decided that it would be alright if she abandoned her post for a few minutes. The likelihood of someone needing to get into the side room was rather slim today. The chances of someone walking in on the summer romance-starved couple, however, was more than likely going to happen. But, before she could leave, Circe had to look down at the sound of a clearing throat.

"An older student said that the password to get to the side room is  _p_ _iggywiggy_ ," a little girl said, her tone defensive and face set into an expression of disbelief.

Circe smiled at the girl. "That's right," she confirmed. "Are you looking to get into the room, then?"

The girl shook her head. "No," she answered. "I'm just making sure I know how to get to places in Hogwarts the most efficient way possible. With all these secret shortcuts and things that I keep hearing about, I believe sooner or later I will hear one that will let me travel more quickly between the floors. Your hidden room, while not the shortcut I was hoping to find, just happens to be the first secret room I've learned of today."

Nodding, Circe complimented, "You are quite an intelligent one, aren't you. I can't tell you how many students I see pass me by everyday of every year taking the hardest and longest routes to get to places."

Grinning a little at the compliment, the girl cocked her head. "Say, why is your password  _piggywiggy_?"

"When I was alive, I had quite the penchant for turning sailors into animals - pigs in particular," Circe answered, smile sharpening as she thought of all the men who'd looked so shocked as they turned into swine right before their very eyes. They had never expected it, she recalled.

It was like they didn't believe a woman could do such a thing and that any gossip they may have heard about her was all just a story. How she'd loved proving them wrong time and time again.

"Why did you do that?" the girl asked, curious.

Circe laughed. "Men are swine, that's why," she answered.

Lips pursing, the girl told her, "I don't understand."

If she could have, Circe would have given the girl's bushy head a pat. "Oh, you will, child. You will. And when that happens - erh,"

"I'm Hermione," she offered.

Dipping her chin in thanks, Circe went on, "And when you understand,  _Hermione,_ come let me know."

"I will," Hermione promised. "It was nice talking to you, Circe, but I have to be going now."

Circe nodded. "That's quite alright, I suppose I'll see you another time," she concluded.

And with that, the girl hurried off to where she belonged.

Moments later, as Circe tried to puzzle out what it was she had been planning to do before she was interrupted by Hermione, she heard a loud yelp as a little boy stumbled out of what should have been an empty classroom.

Ah, yes! The couple! That was what she had needed to take care of!

Though, it seemed that she was too late to save one little boy's innocence…

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Diagon Alley II's Halloween event, The Walls Have Eyes on Fanfiction.net. For this event, you had to write a story from the POV of a Hogwarts Portrait. As you can see, I picked the portrait of Circe.
> 
> Thank you for reading and please leave a kudo/comment if you have a moment :)


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